Palestinian detainees suffer torture, freezing temperatures in Israel prisons, says PPS

Palestinian detainees suffer mistreatment and torture at the hands of Israeli prison authorities, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS).

PPS spokesperson Amjad Al-Najjar stated that, based on accounts from lawyers who visited the Palestinian detainees, prisoners were threatened against disclosing details of their abuse.

Speaking to Voice of Palestine Radio, Al-Najjar described dire conditions in Megiddo Prison, where detainees endure harsh treatment and extreme cold due to a shortage of blankets and restrictions on bringing in clothing.

Quoting a recently released detainee, Al-Najjar revealed that prisoners in the same cell are forced to share blankets and clothing to survive the freezing temperatures. Some detainees sleep during the day while others rest at night, struggling to cope with the deprivation of their most basic needs.

The PPS, which documents Israeli detentions of Palestinians, accused Israel of carrying out “systematic crimes and revenge attacks” against prisoners, most recently in Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.

READ: 4 freed Palestinian prisoners transferred to hospital due to poor health condition

This comes after four Palestinian prisoners, recently released as part of a prisoner exchange deal, were rushed to the hospital upon their arrival to Ramallah due to severe health complications, Anadolu reported on Saturday.

Palestinians freed from Israeli jails have reported enduring starvation, physical abuse and psychological torture. Photographs of the majority of the freed prisoners reveal significant weight loss while in Israeli custody and signs of torture, while some were seen struggling to walk due to their poor physical condition, others had limbs amputated during their detention.

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, in a previous statement posted on its website, condemned the inhumane treatment of Palestinian prisoners, describing the Israeli prisons as “institutionalized torture facilities” and “graves for the living.”

The statement emphasised that the deteriorating health of the prisoners reflects the harsh conditions they endured, including torture, mistreatment and degrading violations, up until their release.